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Gentlemen and Ladies : 

Saint Paul, in Jerusalem, was accused by certain of 
the Jews. They said, ' 'he was a pestilent fellow, a stir- 
er-up of sedition, a ring-- leader of the sect of the Naza- 
renes, a follower of one Jesus, who is now dead, but 
he says is alive." The Chief Captain seemed to recog- 
nize him as an Eg-yptian murdered. 

But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus, in Cilicia, 
"A Citizen of No Mean City.'"- 

This claim of citizenship did not seem to be suffi- 
cient, for they bound him, and ordered him to be 
scourg-ed. But Paul said to a Centurion that stood by, 
"Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, 
and uncondemned?" 

When the Centurion lieard that, he went unto the 
Chief Captain, and said, "Take heed what thou doest; 
for this man is a Roman!'" 

Then the following- conversation took place: 
"Tell me! art thou a Roman?" Paul said, "Yes." 
And the Chief Captain answered, "With a g-reat sum 
obtained I this freedom;" but Paul said, "I was free 
born!" 

The Chief Captain decided he had no jurisdiction, 
and that a Roman citizen could not be tried under the 
Jewish law. So he sent Paul to C^esarea, to be tried 
by a Roman Governor. 

And between Paul and this Roman Governor oc- 
curred another remarkable conversation. 

Paul said, "Neither against the law, neitheragainst 
the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended any- 
thing at all." 

Festus said, "Wilt thou then go up to Jerusalem, 
there to be judg^ed of these things?" 



Then said Paul, "I stand at Caesar's judgement seat, 
where I ought to be judged. I appeal unto Cassar." 

And when the Jews again demanded the death of 
Paul, this Governor said: 

"It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any 
man to die, before that he which is accused have the 
accusers face to face, and have license to answer for 
himself concerning the crime laid against him." 

Rome had been a republic for 500 years, and her lib- 
erties had not yet been lost in the glory of her con- 
quests; but from the Clj'de to the Euphrates, and in all 
her provinces on either side of the Mediterranean, as 
well in Tarsus as at Rome, the aegis of her laws cov- 
ered and protected her citizens. 

This was a marvelous inheritance! Paul had not 
"bought it with a great sum," but it came to him as a 
birthright; and we do not wonder that with pride and 
confidence he declared he "Was a Citizen of No 
Mean City." 

Many things have happened in the nineteen cen- 
turies since this exultant declaration of citizenship. 
Kingdoms and Empires have risen and fallen; Repub- 
lics have been born, baptized in blood, and gone down 
to death in their greed for gold and glory. Revolu- 
tions have swept over the earth, and chaos reigned for 
a thousand years. And yet, through all this long night, 
through all these plots and counterplots, the spirit of 
human liberty has survived, and somehow bridging over 
the waste places of history, enables us to say tonight, 
with the same pride and the same confidence as Paul 
in Csesarea, "I am a Citizen of No Mean City." 

This citizenship is our inheritance! not "bought with 
a great sum," but a free gift from our fathers who say 
to us in spirit, tonight, "Take it! and be thankful." 

The city of Bloomington is fifty years old today. 
But there is a decade prior to our entrance into city life, 
with which I am quite familiar, and about which I pre- 



fer to speak. To me, Blooming^ton from 1840 to 1850 is 
much more interesting than Bloomington from 1850 to 
1900. 

To know a man or a woman well, you must know 
something of his, or her, youth; and to know a city, 
you must know who were its builders; what were its 
youthful surroundings, and under what conditions did 
it find its municipal life? 

When we are young our minds are easily moved to'joy 
or sadness by the chords, or discords, of our own dream- 
ing, and imagination plays a large part in filling waste 
places with things of beauty, and often casts a glamour 
over events which, possibly, are quite realistic. 

Therefore, if some things I may say should seem to 
be somewhat fanciful, you will remember this is a 
reminiscence, rather than a history. 

Bloomington in iS-10 was a picture of "Sweet Au- 
burn!" Try to think of it, as it nestled in the sunshine 
on the border of the grove. Great oaks standing like 
mailed sentinels for its protection. No landscape gar- 
den; no flower bordered park; no well shaven lawn, or 
artificial lake, was half so wonderful as that Bloom- 
ing Grove! 

Oaks, elms, hackberry and linden, ash, hickory, ma- 
ple and w-alnut; open glassy glades and leafy dells; 
natural bowers, trellised with wild grape vines, car- 
peted vvith violets and sweetwilliams, perfumed with 
flowers and resonant with the music of singing birds. 

This wonderful grove, full of animal life, fed at na- 
ture's bountiful table; a thousand flowers, ranging from 
spring violet to the golden -rod; the may apple, the 
paw-paw, and the purple grape; from budding spring 
to fading autumn, for the delight of man, arrayed 
herself in her changing garments of beauty. 

And the prairie to the north of it more wonderful 
than the grove, waving and undulating like a sea in 
motion, was an endless landscape of grasses and flow- 



6 

ers, where the wild rose blossomed and the red deer 
wandered. 

"Wonderful land, 

Where the loam and the sand 

Burst into bloom 

At the touch of a hand." 

And so, between the grove and the prairie, with their 
"orchard, and meadow, and deep tangled wild-wood," 
lay this pretty village like a sleeping child in the sun- 
shine and the shade. 

And this is what the dreamer saw: 

"Seas of grain and of answers to the prayers of mankind 
And the rose in blossom making a bride of the wind, 
And the prairie flowers shining like a scripture in bloom, 
And the bees abroad with their plunder and boom. 
Never blundering amiss, for there is something" to kiss, 
Where the flowers out of doors smile in all weather, 
And bud, blossom and fruit g'raced the g"arden together." 

I hold that the men who build a city, who lay its 
foundation and nourish it into life, impress their char- 
acteristics upon it for generations to come. And it is 
to the founders and pioneer citizens of Bloomington, 
who laid its foundations in soberness and righteous- 
ness, in intelligence, integrity and honor, that, we owe 
the high reputation of our city, and the pride with 
which we say today, "We are Citizens of No Mean 
City." 

And when I mention the names of these gentlemen, 
I am calling a roll of honor. 

THE VILLAGE SCHOOL! 

for four years, or more, was taught by Dr. "Wm.C.Hobbs. 
There were other school teachers before and after. Mr. 
Bragg, Mr. S. S. Luce, Mr. George W. Mineer, Mr. 
Peter Folsom, but the village school teacher proper, 
par excellence, was Dr. Hobbs. A singular and re- 
markable man! He came from Louisville, Ky., I think 
in 1838. He was the dentist, school teacher, and the 



social arbiter elecjantarium of the villag-e. He was a 
large, handsome and ele.crant gentleman. While most 
other citizens dressed in blue jeans, towe linen and lin- 
sey wolsey, he wore broadcloth, silk hats, immaculate 
linen and silk lined cloaks. He was afterwards a mer- 
chant, and for many years the county clerk. 

He died leaving- no enemies, a good many debts, and 
twenty-seven satin vests. 

I recall the following names of persons now living 
in Bloomington who attended this school: Adam and 
Peter Guthrie, William Newton and James Hodge, 
Jonathan H. Cheney, Thomas J. Bunn, Richard Lan- 
der, John T. Walton, James and William Depew, Ed- 
ward Hardy, Dr. Wm. M. T. Miller, James S. Ewing, 
Lewis B. Thomas. 

Miss Virginia Hayden, now Mrs. Lynus Graves. 

Miss Louisa Depew, now Mrs. Dr. Crothers. 

Miss Harriet Hardy, now Mrs. I. W. Wilmuth. 

Miss Margaret Hanks, now Mrs. Richard Lander. 

Miss Nannie McCulloch, now Mrs. D. S. Dyson. 

Miss Lydia McKisson, now Mrs. Edward Hardy. 

Miss Mary Hawks, now Mrs. O. T. Reeves. 

THE DOCTORS. 

When I first remember Bloomington, the block north 
of the court house wa.s owned and occupied as a resi- 
dence by Dr. John F. Henry. 

He came from Clarksville, Tenn.; was a descendant 
of Patrick Henry; a brother of the Hon. Gustavus 
Henry, one of the great orators of Tennessee. 

Dr. Henry Avas a most elegant and accomplished 
gentleman, as well as an able physician. He improved 
the farm east of the city now owned by Mr. George P. 
Davis, and did much to give tone, character and cul- 
ture to the new communit}'. 

The block east of the court house was owned and oc- 
cupied by another jDhysician, Dr. John Anderson. He 



was the father of Mrs. Jonathan H. Cheney. He was 
a gentleman of means for that da}^; a learned physi- 
cian of great dignity of character and of superior in- 
telligence. He died in early manhood, but was long 
remembered in the village for his kindness and real 
worth. 

Dr. Colboune was another of our early doctors who 
was very much loved and respected. He removed to 
Peoria, where he died many years after. His son is 
now one of the leading ph3^sicians and surgeons of that 
city. There were others who came a little later; the 
ones I most particularly remember were Dr. A. Luce, 
Dr. Ezekiel Thomas, Dr. E. K. Crothers, Dr. Geo. W. 
Stipp. and Dr. Chas. R. Park. 

THE LAWYERS 

were David Davis, General Gridley, Wells Coulton, and 
Kersey H. Fell. Afterwards, but while Bloomington 
was yet a village, and almost at the same time, came 
a number of young lawyers who well supplemented the 
fathers of this bar, and continued it, what it always 
had been and what it has remained to this day, one of 
the ablest in the state; Leonard Swett, Ward W. Orme, 
John H. Wickizer, Wm. H. Hanna and John M. Scott. 
There were other distinguished lawyers who, while 
they were not residents of Bloomington, yet practiced 
at the McLean county bar, and we may claim some- 
thing of their fame as a possession. 

AN INCIDENT. 

In the early history of this county, two boys, one 
day, went into the old court house to hear a lawsuit 
tried. There were assembled eight young lawyers — 
not all of them engaged in the trial, but giving strict 
attention to the proceeding. It was not a suit of great 
importance. Some one had permitted his cattle to 
stray into his neighbor's cornfield; the neighbor set 



his dog- on the cattle, and a suit in trespass followed. 
It was really a suit between the dogf and the steers, 
and involved their respective characters for quietness 
and g-ood deportment in the neighborhood. But en- 
g-aged, or interested, in that suit, were eight young 
lawyers. I doubt if any one of them over 26 or 27 years 
old; certainly not over 30, and some much younger. 
The court was presided over by Samuel H. Treat, 
who afterwards became a United States district judge, 
and one of the most distinguished lawyers and jurists 
in the state. One of tlie lawyers was General 
ASAHEL Gridley, our townsman, and a well known 
citizen of the state. 

David Davis, first a noted lawyer, then a circuit 
judge; then a judge of the Supreme court of the United 
States; then a United States senator and acting vice- 
president of the nation; a citizen of state and national 
fame, whom the people of Bloomington loved and de- 
lighted to honor. 

Another was John T. Stewart, a brilliant lawyer, 
several times a member of congress, and one of the 
most lovable of men. 

Another one was David Campbell, then the prose- 
cuting attorney, and afterwards a prominent lawyer 
and citizen of Springfield. 

Another was Edward D. Baker, who was after- 
wards a United States senator from Oregon; a famous 
orator, who immortalized himself by his marvelous 
oration over David Broderick. 

Another was James McDougal, a brilliant Irish- 
man, afterwards a United States senator from the state 
of California. 

And Abraham Lincoln! who has passed beyond 
the domain of human praise into the pantlieon of un- 
usual history. 

I might add that one of those boys afterwards be- 
came the vice-president of the United States; and the 
other is your speaker. 



10 

Speaking to any audience in America, and I might 
say in the world, I doubt if such an incident could be 
truthfully related of any other gathering. 

POLITICS. 

We had political parties in those days, and the coun- 
try was lost and saved as often then as now. 

The leading Whigs were David Davis, Wm. McCul- 
lough, Allen Withers, Jesse W. Fell, Isaac Funk, 
General Gridley, Wm. Thomas, Wm. H. Temple, Wm. 
Hodge, James Miller. 

The leading Democrats were Merrit L. Covel, 
Abraham Brokaw, Henry I. Miller, Joseph C. Duncan, 
John W. Ewing, H. P. Merriman, Albert Dodd, John 
Moore, Geo. D. Mcllhiney. 

There was a third party — not a Greenback, Popu- 
list, or Prohibition party. It was called the Abolition 
partyl It was a small and very much abused party 
In Bloomington it numbered six members: Thomas 
Hardy, Wm. Wallis, J. N. Ward, Deacon Tompkins, 
Geo. Deitrich, Silas Hays. 

Abolitionism was then a term of reproach. And 
those who openly professed the faith were bitterly de- 
nounced as fanatics, '^pestilent fellows," "stirers-up 
of sedition," and enemies of their country. They de- 
nied this charge. They said, "We love our country, 
and therefore dare we not keep silence concerning her 
sin." 

Whigs and Democrats proclaimed the vital and all 
important questions were about Internal Improvements, 
U. S. Bank, the Tariff, the Mexican War. These six 
men said, "nothing is important but human liberty." 
"You cannot have a republic half slave and half free." 
"A free people cannot have slaves." "It is on our con- 
sciences, we must talk." 

The Whigs and Democrats said, "You are agitators; 
you must not agitate, you will ruin the country. " 



11 

They said, "Not till the country divorces herself 
from her sin can her bells rin^ peace." 

And now, in the white light of history, we know 
that theirs was, "The voice crying in the wilderness, 
make straight the paths of the Lord!" 

Now we know, that those six men, and they only, 
were right, and all the others were wrong. 

Now we know, that in politics, questions of arith- 
metic, questions of finance, questions of economics are 
never of supreme importance. 

Now we know, that in the presence of a question of 
human liberty, a question of preserving the republic 
on the true principle of the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence, all other questions must veil their faces, and, 
for the time being, sink into insignificance. 

THE BUSINESS INTERESTS 

of the village were well represented. The market was 
largely local, but almost every demand was supplied 
by some local industry. 

Mr. Matthew Hawks oi^erated an oil mill. 

Mr. John N. Larimore manufactured hats. 

Mr. Daniel Dryer had a pottery. 

Wm. Flagg and John W. Ewing, as Plagg & Ewing, 
operated a saw mill, machine shop and foundry, and 
manufactured furniture. 

David Haggard made half bushels. 

Lewis Bunn and Oliver Ellsworth were the black- 
smiths. 

Gillespie and Adolph were tailors. 

John Dawson was the shoemaker. 

Goodman and Lyman Ferre were the wagon makers. 

James Walton and Joshua Harlan were saddlers and 
harness makers. 

John Myers and S. B. Brown ran the flour mill. 

Jacob Myers had a woolen mill. 



12 

Ebenezer Peck and William Brewer each owned tan 
yards. 

Georgfe Deitrich was the tinner. 

Noah Stine, Benjamin Harrison, and John Rock- 
hold were coopers. 

Allen Withers, Wm. Temple, Wm. H. Allen, James 
H. Robinson, and A. J. Merriman were our merchants. 

Joel Depew was a cabinet maker. 

J. N. Ward manufactured chairs. 

Cravan Bosley was the house painter, and 

John L. Wolcott was the undertaker. 

You see how diversified were these industries. How 
everything' that was wanted was manufactured at 
home. Every one did well, made a good living, and 
was well content that his neighbor should prosper. 
There was then no selfish spirit of competition which 
sought to drive all others out of business and gather 
all the golden sheaves into one barn. 

Remember, in this village were only 500 or 600 peo- 
ple. Ministers, doctors, lawyers, manufacturers, han- 
dicraftsmen, and day laborers all worked together for 
the good of the community and of each other. All 
whose names I have mentioned in any connection were 
high-minded, honorable men. Self-respecting and re- 
spected, many of them were remarkable men; and all 
of them would have been marked men in any commun- 
ity. They respected each other's rights while thty 
maintained their own. 

Between these men there were strong attachments 
and warm friendships, which lasted through life, and 
in many cases extended to their descendants. There 
were no rich men, and few poor ones. 

I have often expressed a doubt if any other village 
of equal size ever contained as many men of such pe- 
culiar and marked characteristics what might be called 
"characters,"' or "types." 



13 

There are many of my hearers who will understand 
exactly what I mean when I call to their recollection: 
Zera Patterson, Capt. Furgason, John Rockhold, 
James Allen, General Gridley, John Dietrich, William 
Flag-g-, Wm. C. Hobbs, Isaac Baker, Dr. Lindley, 
Bailey Coffee, Greenberry Larrison, Dr. Espy, Wm. 
McCullough, Jesse W. Fell, Willett Gray, Wm. Temple. 

Strongly marked characters, and utterly unlike any 
one but themselves. 

There were no railroads in those days, no telegraphs 
nor telephones, no sewing machines, no gas lights, no 
pavements, few sidewalks, no daily paper, no city 
council, no mayor! and yet people were happy! 

I love to think of this little community, with its 
simple and healthy habits, its splendid men and women, 
its bright lads and pretty maidens as something ideal. 
There was not the elegance, fashion and culture of to- 
day; but there was honesty, kindness and good will. 

There were not the fine residences which now adorn 
our beautiful city. Their homes were mostly cottages 
and cabins; but the honeysuckle and the morning-glory 
climbed over their doorwa3^s, and the songs of birds 
wakened them from slumber. 

These were some of the men and women who laid 
the foundation and built our city. The builders are 
dead, but their city remains, and this celebration to- 
day is in honor of their memor}". 

Fifty years ago the village became a city. In that 
fifiy y^<^"'s ivhat marvelous changes have taken place! 
The railroads came, the sidewalks and pavements 
were built; our churches have increased in size and 
number, and our colleges and schools, our court house 
and fine public buildings, our library, our water-works, 
our fire department, our beautiful shaded streets, our 
literary and musical societies have all combined to 
more than fulfill the promise of our youth. In all this 
material prosperity and improvement we rejoice. 



14 

But there is something" more about a city than its 
streets and houses; something", if not so tang"ible, yet 
quite as real. It is what the French call 

l'esprit de la ville. 

Paris is not simply a g"reat fashionable city which 
is to have an Exposition this year. It is the city of 
Charlemagne, of Louis the XIV, of RosseauandRobes- 
perre, of Marie Antoinette, of the Revolution, the 
Bastile, and the Commune. It is where kings and em- 
perors have reig"ned, loved and died; and which a thou- 
sand trag"edies have embalmed in story and song". 

When an American visits London, the. first places 
he inquires after and wants most to see is London 
Bridg"e, Drury Lane, and Primrose Hill, immortalized 
in the wonderful poems of Mother Goose. Then he 
wants to find the "Old Curiosity Shop," and a hundred 
other places made so real by the genius of Charles 
Dickens. 

I once stopped over a day in a little town in Italy 
to visit the grave of a sixteen year old girl who died 
400 years ago (or rather who never lived at all), sim- 
ply because the greatest poet who ever lived had told 
how passionatel}^ she loved, and how sadly she died. 
The genius of the poet hallowed the spot and changed 
the mystic ideal into things rare and real. 

A hundred thousand tourists annually visit a little 
town in Germany (not larger than LeRoy), because a 
poet wrote the little love song of "Bingen on the 
Rhine." 

The houses, streets and alleys are the "outward 
and visible signs of the inward and spiritual" life and 
character of a city which is, after all, the most real. 
Wherever you feel the touch of humanity, wherever 
you connect the scenes with the deeds of men. who 
have lived, and loved, and suffered, the chain is be- 
yond the breaking. Hence these celebrations effect 



15 

our hearts. They bring" to us the memory of those 
whose lives and works have made life easier for us. 
They recall whatever there may be of noble action, 
self-sacrifice, or act of heroism. This celebration will 
make more real to us these intangible certitudes. If 
we love our city, that love will be anchored in its 
memories, tragedies, and traditions. 

The moral tone, of a city, its intelligence, its public 
spirit, its culture, its patriotism, its traditions, its 
citizenship; what it has done, and what it has pro- 
duced, determine its certitudes. Considered from this 
point of view, I think, we may also say, "We Are 
Citizens of No Mean City." 

Bloomington is a patriotic city! She sent soldiers 
and officers to the Black Hawk War. She sent a com- 
pany to the Mexican War. She sent a regiment to the 
war of the Rebellion. She sent a company to the war 
with Spain. 

We have Harvey, Howell, Hogg, Orme, and McCul- 
lough who gave up their lives for their country. They, 
with many others, are our heroes, whom we delight to 
honor. 

Bloomington has also furnished her full quota to the 
civil service of her country. Two vice-presidents, one 
United States senator, a judge of the United States 
Supreme court; a judge of the court of Claims; six 
members of congress; two governors, and one chief jus- 
tice of the state of Illinois. 

And without any disposition to exaggerate, and in 
all modesty, I think I may say, that we are prepared 
to duplicate this record at any time the country maybe 
in need of jurists and statesmen. 

Bloomington is a moral city! It is full of beautiful 
houses; its yards, gardens and lawns are clean and 
well kept. It is full of churches and schools, and its 
streets are lined, adorned, and beautified with shade 



16 

trees, (except where the spaces are needed for tele- 
graph poles.) 

We challenge comparison with any city, as to the 
moral tone, intelligence, public spirit, culture, and so- 
cial qualities of our citizens. And, subjectively con- 
sidered, we may well say, "We Are Citizens of No 
Mean City." 

Thus far I have spoken of the past. But what may 
we reasonably expect of 

THE FUTURE? 

I think Bloomington will never be a very large 
city; and I am glad of that. It will never be a boom 
city; and'I am glad of that. It will never be a manu- 
facturing city; and I am glad of that. It will never be 
the capital of the state; and I am glad of that. It will 
never be a city like Chicago; and I am glad of that. 

Bloomington will continue its steady, conserva- 
tive, healthy growth towards the fulfillment of its 
manifest destiny; which is, to become the ideal resi- 
dence city of the west. 

It will not be long until all of our streets will be 
paved; thus saving the annual expense of taking care 
of dirt roads, and the enormous additional expense of 
cleaning the pavements already built. This will be 
done just as soon as it can be realized that, it will cost 
no more to do it all in one year than to spread it over 
twenty. 

Continuing in the spirit of -prophecy, I will say, 
the time is coming when, following the suggestion of one 
of our most public spirited citizens, our school house 
yards and our unique little strip lawns will be turned 
over to our park commissioners, who will see that they 
are well covered with grass, their shade trees trimmed 
and guarded, (and wherever the telegraph, electric 
light, and telephone companies permit), new trees 
planted whenever they are needed. 



17 

We need, and will have established here, a first- 
class female college, a fit mate for our universities, 
where our young girls can secure a finished education, 
while at the same time enjoying the benefits of home 
culture and protection. When we have the schools, 
our city will be sought as a place of residence by peo- 
ple of means and refinement, for purposes of education 
and the benefits to be derived therefrom. If we have 
any money to give away, let us give it for this pur- 
pose, and not to buggy factories and cereal mills, et 
cetera! 

In this ideal city of the future, w^e will have clean 
streets. There has been wonderful improvement in the 
last year. Just as soon as our cit})- council learns that 
there is no money the citizen pays so willingly as that 
used in cleaning the streets, this service will be im- 
proved. There is another thing! Some day, it will 
dawn upon the street commissioner, that it costs no 
more to clean off the crossings within an hour after a 
rain, than it does four days after. And then, won't we 
all be happy? 

We may none of us live to see the blessed time, 
but some time "in the sweet bye and bye'' the long 
rows of great ugly, black, dirty poles, which mar, dis- 
figure, and disgrace man y of our most beautiful avenues, 
will be removed, and the rusty wires which adorn them 
will be buried out of sight. Do not think I am impos- 
ing upon your credulity, or desire to create false hopes. 
In this wonderful century of material progress more 
wonderful things have happened, and even if our eyes 
may not see this glory, we may leave it as a hope and 
aspiration to our posterity. 

There is a beautiful little city to the north of us, 
built up around our state university. I am in favor of 
annexing Normal. It is not at all certain that the in- 
habitants of that city are capable of self-government. 
In all the years they have been trying the experiment, 



IS 



they haven't established a single saloon, and but one 
law office. Annexation would be of great financial ad- 
vantage to us. It would open up a great missionary- 
field, and a new area of enterprise for our surplus law- 
yers, real estate men, insurance agents and book ped- 
dlers. I do not favor, however, forcible annexation (if it 
can be avoided). I believe the "constitution follows 
the flag," and favor a policy that would give these "in- 
surgents" the benefit of home government, under our 
direction, and the rights of citizenship; provided they 
accept our notions of citizenship 

If Normal will allow us to retain a few saloons, and 
the city railway company will agree to run enough 
cars after the theater, the matter can be easily arranged. 

Then by a judicious system of tariff duties, or by 
special assessment, we might compel these new citi- 
zens to build hard roads and pavements connecting us 
with our "new possessions." 

By- the establishment of a coaling station at the 
university, we could easily extend our trade to the 
Soldiers' Home, Hudson, Kerrick, and Kappa. The pos- 
sibilities are enormous. 

More seriously speaking, there is a growingconvic- 
tion that a union of these cities, under just and proper 
conditions, will be mutually beneficial in very many 
ways. There are visions of hard roads, paved streets, 
shaded drives, and intervening parks; of a larger and 
more beautiful city, cheaper taxation, more influence 
for good, and brighter prospects for the future. 

Our little neighbor is somewhat coy, and must be 
wooed as a bride; the union must be a marriage, and 
added to its material advantages, must be added a 
dowry of love and affection. 

One other hope allow me to express. In the old city 
cemetery sleep many of our city builders, with the ones 
they loved. This consecrated property is owned by the 
city. Is not this an appropriate occasion to suggest 



19 

the caring for and beautifying- of this long neglected 
city of our dead? It would be but the grateful perform- 
ance of a sacred duty. I am sure I express the unani- 
mous sentiment of every citizen of Bloomington, when 
I say to our city council that any reasonable expendi- 
ture of money for this purpose would meet with their 
cordial approval. 

A city is a part of the state and the nation. As we 
are "Citizens of No Mean City," in a far higher 
sense we are citizens of a great free Republic. 

As we gather up the memories and traditions of our 
little city, that our love and patriotism may grow into 
fellowship with them, we will not forget the broader 
and more sacred 'Obligations we owe to our entire 
country. We will remember with renewed thankful- 
ness our unpaid debt of gratitude to its founders and 
builders. 

If I remind you, it is not because you have forgot- 
ten, how they laid its foundations on the solid rock of 
absolute political and legal equality, and then ce- 
mented them with their blood; how they gave us a gov- 
ernment without king, or cast, or pride of birth, where 
we call no man master; where there is no royal road to 
distinction, and where honest worth is better than 
coronet or patent of nobility; how they left us rich 
legacies in their words of wisdom for our guidance. 

This great legacy is ours, not bought with a price, 
but a free gift. What we will do with it, and how we 
will execute our trust, remains to be written. If we 
are true to our trust; true to our fathers, true to the 
institutions they founded, our country will go on from 
prosperity to prosperity, and find its fruition in power, 
and safety, and peace. But if faithless, we relax pub- 
lic vigilance, and are seduced into yielding to the rash 
impulses of the hour, and permit our country to be 
dragged into the vortex of foreign strife, we may make 



20 

shipwreck of the noblest bark that was ever launched 
on the tide of time. 

The God of Nations, who inspired the Declaration 
of Independence, who gave us Jefferson and Lincoln, 
who camped with our armies at Valley Forge and on a 
hundred battlefields of civil strife, who has safe- 
guarded us in all our trials, will not forsake us in our 
present temptation. But out of it all, as purified by 
fire, will come a renewed patriotism, a purer love of 
liberty, a more unselfish public service, and a more 
stainless public honor, which will enable us, and our 
children's children, to say, with exultation and pride, 
not only, are we, "Citizens of No Mean City!" but of 
the great free American Republic. 



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